Balance is key - things can quickly get out of control schedule wise, but you need to balance everyones needs.
I have 3 kids under 9. We limit the older ones to one sport of their choice per season, 2 seasons per year - same will go for the youngest. I fish on my 1/2 days or take a weekday off - and do a few weekend trips offshore a few times per year, the wife runs and does a few events per year. Other than that, we go out as a family. BBQ at the house, trips to the sand bar, fishing, trips to Reds.
I wouldn’t give it up for anything.
But if you allow your kids to over do - and you don’t like being tied up all the time - it can get ugly. I don’t mind going to a sporting event once a week, but spending every spare min at mulitple events at multitple sports would drive me insane.
Besides being a husband, being a dad is probably the most important and rewarding thing I have ever done. Between baseball, football, lacrosse, soccer and scouting, we have always spent time with our sons, now 11 and 17. We have taken the boys places to expose them to different things and places. Our trips have never been fancy or expensive, just trips that we as a family could enjoy. It has taken the lion’s share of our time but, that is what being a parent means. My oldest is a rising senior so we are now looking at colleges and the prospect of him moving out. I have to say, that prospect does not thrill me or his mother. Yes, growing up means moving out and learning to be your own person but, I love my kids and will really miss my son. I have loved watching him play sports and he is my fishing buddy. No one can say whether or not you should have kids but, if you do, they will cost you tons of money, cause a bunch of stress in your life and will somewhat interfere with your relationship with your wife. Through all that, I would do it all again, probably just a bit earlier. We had kids a little later in life and went into parenthood realizing the commitment we were making. One day, both our boys will be gone and it will just be me and my wife. We have the rest of our lives to spend together. I have never regretted having kids.
“Apathy is the Glove in Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
Just thinking back over the past 20 years. Hundreds of school projects,plays,dance recitals,swim meets etc. Glad they are almost behind now, but still wouldn’t trade them for anything. Having 2 daughters my sole function now is to intimidate potential boyfriends.The oldest is 20 and has been dating the same guy now for 2 years so I don’t need to scare him off, he passed the test. It’s gonna be weird when the house is empty.